Karen
by EmilieYC
Summary: ONESHOT. This story tell us how Karen became the manager in the football's club. We also get to know a little about her past... Please let me know if you find it interesting and want a story about Karen!


_Disclaimer: All right reserved to Yōichi Takahashi_

 **Chapter 1: Something New**

"Where is he?" was Fujisawa Karen thinking. Her little brother has run to play around in her high school Jyoyo Akanegaoka. It's has been a couple of months since she started her freshmen year. Karen has still very hard to find around school and felt flustered with her new classmates. She was a little bit red on her cheek when she ran around looking for her little brother Kenta. She quickly gaze away when other student were looking at her.

When Karen was near the football´s field, she frizzed. There, standing in the middle of the field was Kenta, playing soccer with the footballs club member. "What is he doing?" she wondered terrified. The first thing Karen was thinking of was to drag him out of the field. She started to run towards his directions.

"Kenta!" Karen said. He stopped his way towards the goal and she sighed in relief, but suddenly she tripped on the football and fell down completely. Karen felt how red her cheeks become. When she rose up again she began to immediately apologies for the trouble her little brother has caused them. She couldn't face them and bow down her head 90 degrees.

"Karen!" Karen lifted her head and saw Miki and another guy run towards her.

"Tsujiwaki-san", she said in relief. Karen felt more at ease when she saw someone she knew among all the strangers.

"Karen-san, what are you're doing here... ah, look Mori-kun, it's the little boy!" Miki suddenly said and looked at Kenta.

Karen was a bit suspect when she saw Miki, the guy called Mori and Kenta all smile silently to each other. "I better ask Kenta about this later", she thought. Instead she told Kenta to not bother while the club members were training. Kenta went to the spectator and cheered on the team with the other girls, while Miki took Karen to the bench.

Karen greeted the coach and Mori who presented to be the footballs club manager. They look at the field together and watched while the guys trained. Soon Mori jumped up to help the player on the ground. The remaining three looked at Mori while he nursed a player's injury, cleaned the balls and talked with the juniors. Coach Murakami started to praise how passionate and hardworking Mori is. That it's thanks to him no one has quit the team. Miki agreed.

"The reason he can do it is because he really loves soccer", said Miki with a smile. When Karen heard 'love' she suddenly started to think back about her past. She felt bothered when she saw how devoted Mori was to his job. How he earnestly helped the player even if his not going to play himself.

"But..." Karen began. "Do you think he's enjoying himself even if he's not playing?"

"He used to play too you know... but he had to give up playing in middle school because of an injury", explained Miki. She wondered if Karen was okay, it wasn´t like Karen to ask question like that. And she didn´t even talk that much to begin with. The girl was different from her usually timid self.

Karen felt a cold running through her. She began remember when she stood frozen on the stage, alone. How she was unable to move and everything turned black. How hard it was to breath. How everyone around looked at her with either pitiful or disappointment in their eyes. How people around her give up on her. Her eyes turned blank, when she recalled the memory. She lowered her eyes.

"Is that so", she said and tried to control her voice. "If that, I pity him."

"Hey, hey, you shouldn't pity him. A manager is also an active member of the team in a game. That's why he feels the same joy or sorrow when they win or lose. He's no different from any other player", said the coach. Miki smiled and agreed. Karen watched Mori work in wonder.

"The manager being part of the game...?" Karen watched how diligent Mori moved on the field and fooled around with Kyosuke. Can he really devote himself to something he loved even if he can't practice in it, she wondered. It's no way a person can sacrifice oneself to others.

After the practice Kyosuke and Miki played with Kenta. Karen thought that she and Kenta had bothered them too much, so she offered to help Mori with the laundry. They talked a little. Mori explained that his job was important and everyone in the team respected him. When he turned around to wash the clothes, Karen looked at Mori's back. " _The reason he can do it is because he really loves soccer"._ Miki's word ringed in Karen`s ears. She bit her lips.

"Hey, Mori-kun... do still enjoying soccer even if you a mere manager?" she asked with a faded voice. As soon she said it, she realised in what a horribly way she has said it in. She felt very flustered. "Sorry Mori-kun, I didn't mean it in that way..."

Mori looked a little taken aback, but then gave Karen a smile.

"Don't worry, I know you don´t mean to harm, Fujisawa-san. And about that… I don´t quite understand myself, but I really feel as a part of the team. I don´t play on the field, but I still fight with the team. I get mad at myself when I don´t prove enough to them. I want to support them with all my might. Maybe I´m seems foolish to the outsider but I´m really happy to be a part of Akanegaoka Fotballs club. That´s my pride. I really love my teammates." Mori said and give a small smile. He scraped his head. "I´m sorry, Fujisawa-san. I´m must seem rather stupid and over the top when I talked…"

Karen shook her head furiously. She felt so mad at herself, how she could say such a thing to an earnest person like Mori. She felt ashamed that she let her darker self take over her.

"No! Mori-san is a really respectable person. It´s my fault. I feel very ashamed of myself. I´m truly very sorry." Karen gave Mori a deep bow. Mori get flustered and assumed her he didn´t take her comment as an offend. She still felt guilty and couldn´t bring herself to look at Mori´s eyes.

On the way home Karen still felt uneasy. She walked slowly, while Kenta kicked the ball. She had no strength left to scold Kenta that he shouldn't play with the ball while walking. Suddenly the ball land besides her feet. She looked at it.

"Manager..." muttered Karen of minded. She picked up Kenta's football. She remembered how happy Mori seemed while talking about football. "Perhaps I should try it."

"I'm surprised through. That you've come to watch a soccer match!" greeted Miki with a smile. "I'm sure you'll come to like soccer too!"

The Fujisawa siblings have decided to watch Akanegaoka´s game against Yama no Mori. It was the third round on Inter high. They were looking after seating, when Miki offered them places near the girls' soccer team. Karen didn't know how to answer and just looked at the game.

It was the first real footballs match experience for Karen and she was confused. She cannot understand why some people get a yellow card while others don´t get one even if they also shoved the others players. Kenta explained something about being offside. She saw when Yama no Mori scores a goal.

"Did Akanegaoka lose?" asked Karen worried.

"Karen, the first half isn't even over yet!" Miki whispered to her.

Kenta sighed in disbelief. Karen got flustered.

"I'm sorry for saying stupid things!"

"Don't worry at all! The game has only just begun, and you know it's time for Akanegaoka to turn this game around!" said the cook Omori Fukuko.

"That's true", agreed Kenta. "One goal is nothing!"

"Go for it!" said Miki.

"Go!" cheered the rest of the audience.

Karen felt thankful. She also helped and cheered. Everyone seemed to be in good terms with each other. She smiled. "So soccer can bring people together."

Unfortunately Mori High managed to score one more goal. Now it was 2-0 with Mori High on the lead. The tension was high.

"Let's go, Karen." Kenta looked very serious and stood up.

"Where?" Karen asked curious.

"Just go." Kenta took Karen away.

"Wait!"

Kenta dragged Karen down to the players' restroom. There they met Mori-kun that seemed conflicted. Kenta run in advanced to the locker room, while Karen and Mori went slowly after him. Kenta lend to the door and tried to listen what they were saying. After a while the Akanegaoka players come out. They looked more high-spirited than before the break. Kenta jumped out before them.

"Kyosuke! Promise me, that you win!" Kenta reached out his hand.

Kyosuke looked a little surprised to see Kenta there but answered:

"For sure, trust me!"

Kyosuke did a high-five with Kenta. Automatically Karen also stretched out her hand and received a high-five from the whole team. She could feel their determination during the slap, all of them full with confidence and ease. Karen blush while feeling like she was one with the team. It's has been a long time since Karen felt she belonged to something. For too long she has been alone and struggle by herself.

When they came back Miki asked curious where they went. They just smiled while blowing the red and hot hand after all the high-five.

At the end Akanegaoka managed to score three goals and win the game. Everyone was happy. It was amazing how Sakai, Kyosuke and Rodrigo made one last attempted and score the third goal in just some seconds.

"Mori-kun..." said Karen while she saw Mori happily run to congratulate his teammates. She smiled. He seemed to enjoy it so much. "He´s truly one with the team."

A couple of days later Karen gazed at the football's field, there some reporter stood and interview the player. She heard someone yawn and looked down on the grass.

"Coach Murakami... What are you doing here?" she said a little taken aback. "Ah… my name is Fujisawa Karen. I'm in the first grade, class B"

"Aa, the soccer kid's sister."

Karen forced a smile and felt embraced. "Yes, I'm his sister." She sat down at the grass and started talking with the coach while looking at Mori checking the grass condition. Later she sat on the bench together with the coach, Mori and Kenta while watching Sakai, Rodorigo and Kouysuke trying their new found secret weapon TNS (The Triple Namaiki Special). Unlucky they didn´t managed to score any goal with this technique this time. After a while she joined Mori to help him with the laundry.

"I always get you to help me. Sorry, Fujisawa-san."

"That's okay, everybody in the soccer club is always nice to Kenta, so if there's anything I can do to help, I'm glad to do it."

Suddenly Kyosuke ran past them in a speed of light and hide in the changing room. He asked them to not let Miki know he was here. Kyosuke continued to hid even until the dawn. Later Miki come to find him. Karen frowned. Miki looked pale and bothered by something. Miki asked Kyosuke to talk with her and both of them went away.

"Did something happen to Tsujiwaki- san?" Karen said worriedly after a while. Kyosuke has come back and looked unwell too. Karen laid her hand on her stomach, she has a slightly stomach ache. She hoped that nothing drastic would happen before their semi-final game against Kokuryō High. "Please don't end up like me..." She has started to feel affection to the soccer club and hoped that everything would go well for them.

"Rodrigo has lost his appetite recently, it's worrying me a little." said Kaori sensei with a worried voice. The match against Kokuryō High has started and Rodrigo seemed to be troubled. Karen saw that Miki also acted strange.

"Do you know something Miki?" asked Kaori sensei.

Miki avoided her eyes and muttered "nothing".

Kaori-sensei frowned when she saw Rodrigo take the ball from Kyosuke.

"Regardless of how capable he is, Rodrigo's just pushing himself too hard."

"Rodrigo lost his speed. He must been exhausted," Miki said with a worried voice.

Karen got distracted when she saw Kyosuke´s attack. Everyone cheered on Kyosuke when he saved the goal with a head attack. "He's passionate", Karen thought.

After the first half of the game, Karen looked at Miki when she hurriedly went to Kaori-sensei. They seemed rather serious and both of them went away.

"Tsk, that Rodrigo isn't that good", Karen heard. She turned around and saw some student talking. "He just been playing well against the weak team, he's not a big deal." Karen frowned when she heard that. How could they say that when they just saw how hard Rodrigo fought on the field.

"You people don´t have the right to judge a player's hard work by jumping on ridiculous conclusion, while doing little to nothing", she said coldly. Karen was suspired that she said that out loud. Everyone was staring at her. Karen cheeks turned red and she excuse her and went outside. She didn´t see Miki and Kaori-sensei anywhere. She was worried about Miki and went to the boy's locker room to look for her. Karen stopped before the locker room when she heard Rodrigo´s voice.

"I asked her to be quite about it. It's not Tsujiwaki-sans responsibility at all!"

"It's my responsibility", Miki insisted. "I knew you had to play soccer in order to support your family... and that´s why I decided not to say anything about your injury. But while watching you play in the game, I couldn't help but think that if you started playing soccer as a kid, it was because you loved this sport more than anything else. And I'm sure you still feel this way. By risking playing in this game, you could end up never being able to play again. Since you love soccer, you want to be able to play, no matter how hard it is. Somehow, I should know well..."

Karen stood frozen, unable to move. Love soccer… unable to play again. The words keep ringing in Karen´s ears. "It would be a pity if Rodrigo became unable to play his favourite sport", she thought.

"Damn! Up until now, I've always wanted to play, without having the opportunity to! In Brazil, everyone dreams of becoming a professional soccer player. The competitions are extremely hard and to get the chance to show what you're worth is almost impossible. But today I'm finally able to. I don't care, even if I'm injured. I just want to play!" said Rodrigo.

Kyosuke frowned and said they all overreacted. That they make it sound this was there last match. He assumed them that they get more opportunity to play. His word made the tension lesser. They started to plan how the football's team going to move forward.

"We have to decide how to fill in Rodrigo..." said Sako.

"Coach, let me play, I beg you!"

"Are you still saying such thing!?" Ichikawa said upset.

"I can only play for five minutes. But I want to give us opportunities to score. Coach, please give me the chance to be a playmaker!"

Karen couldn´t take it anymore and went in. Everyone turned they gazed towards her. She didn´t bounced and stayed firmly on her spot.

"Karen… what are you doing here?" asked Miki shocked. She was surprised over how Karen bravely stood there, with so many peoples´ attention. That girl was always flustered when others looked at her.

"I think you should let Rodrigo play. He deserves one more chance", Karen said.

The others were taken aback by the usually timid girl´s word.

"You can´t just barge in and say something like that when you don´t understand the situation", said Ichikawa and frowned.

"Yeah… and Rodrigo is injured. If he play now, it´s a chance he unable to play soccer again", comment another member.

"I know I don´t understand soccer. I´m just an outsider." Karen paused and took a deep breath. She looked at them with serious eyes. "But I know that if you give up on something you hold dearest it´s hard, very hard to go back again. You left with a great regret that you are unable to do the things you love to. You shouldn´t give up when there´s hope left. Otherwise it´s like turning your back to your dream. On you own cowardly decision." _Like me,_ she thought. "Sometimes you can´t get when you don´t give. A player needs to bet to gain a reward." Karen looked at Rodrigo's determined eyes. Eyes that still have hope left. She smiled. "And I do think Rodrigo-kun can tell whenever he can still play or forcing himself too much."

Rodrigo gave Karen a grateful look.

"Yes, I promise I'm not going to work too hard. Please give me one more chance. I promise to become a great playmaker for the team."

The coach sighted and followed Rodrigo´s request. But he clearly said that he´s going to switch Rodrigo out no matter the situation after five minutes. They started to plan their counterattack and the girls went outside. Theirs steps echoed when they walked. The green hair girl couldn´t control herself anymore and throw herself at Karen. Miki gave Karen a big smile.

"You were amazing, Karen!" she told the blue hair girl enthusiastic. "I´m so proud of you!" She gave Karen a big and warm hug. Karen could feel Miki honest feeling towards her and she felt very happy. She squeezed Miki back.

"Thank you Tsujiwaki-san", was the only things she managed to say. She was too flustered to think of other words.

Kaori-sensei agreed with Miki and praised Karen for her unexpected courage. They went back to the audience seats and focused on the game. They were all relived that Rodrigo managed to support his teammates and gave them many opportunity to score. He didn't look as regretful anymore, but still a little worried. He looked up at the bleachers. Karen saw his gaze and smiled at him. She gave him thumbs up and formed the words "good job" with her lips. He gave her a little smile and waved his hand.

It started to rain heavily during the game. Both team fought with determination. Neither of them gave up a scoring opportunity. Karen and the others cheered with all their might. At the end Akanegaoka still lost. 1-0. Everyone felt bitter, but gave all the player a big round of applaud and praise.

After the match Karen and Kenta went home in low spirited. She told Kenta to take a bath before the dinner. After she cooked and eat with Kenta, Karen also took a bath. Afterwards she lay down on her bed. _"It´s not over yet"_ , has Kyosuke said and kneel downed on the ground. Karen wondered how the soccer team felt.

"It´s not over yet", she repeat. She stretched out her hand. She remembered the high five she has received from each member. How happy she felt when they won. How sad she felt when they lost. She recalled the conversation with Mori-kun. She looked at the black case on the corner of her room. She hasn´t been able to put aside it completely after all this time. "Perhaps I should try after all."

It was Monday. Karen has thought about it the whole weekend and decided to not run away. Still it was rather hard for her and she didn´t know how to take the first step. Miki noticed that Karen has been a little absent-minded during the whole day. She didn´t listen to the teachers lectures and turned on wrong pages on the book.

"Karen, are you okay?" Miki asked after the class ended. "You have looked distracted the whole day."

"Ah, please don´t worry Tsujiwaki-san. I´m okay", Karen said with a little smile.

Miki was going to ask "are you sure?" but stopped.

"I´m going to visit the boys' soccer club. Do you want to come with me?" she said instead.

Karen opened her mouth, but closed it soon. She opened her mouth again, but closed it. She took a deep breath and rose from the bench. She clenched her hand and looked determined.

"Yeah, let´s do it! No turning back", Karen said, mostly trying to convince herself. She gave Miki a grateful glance. "Thank you Tsujiwaki-san, for helping me take the first step", she said serious.

"Uhm… you welcome", said Miki, confused over her friend´s strange behaviour.

They went to the field together. Miki gazed at Karen who kept mumble "I can do it, I can do it, I can do it, I can…" When they arrived Karen went straight to the coach who stood a bit outside the football's field.

"Hello, do you want something?" he asked her when he saw that Karen looked at him.

Karen jumped a little on her place. She tried to gain courage, but it became harder for every second. Soon she gained many attentions from the club member. She tried to not think about how they must see her as "the girl who barged into the locker room". _It´s now or never Karen,_ she thought. _You can´t keep running away because you afraid._

"Eh, you see…" she started. She stretched out an application to join the soccer club to the coach and bowed. "Please let me join the soccer club as a manager!"

It was silence a moment. Miki and Mori looked happy at each other. The others club members went closer them.

"Oh, that would be a great help!" said the coach. "Wouldn´t it be, Mori?"

"Yes, absolutely!" Mori said eagerly. "I would be really grateful if you want to become the manager, Fujisawa-san"

Murakami coach took the application.

"Welcome to the team, soccer kid´s sister", he said.

"Her name is Fujisawa Karen, coach!" said Mori angrily.

Everyone laughed.

"Sorry, I´m just teasing you, Fujisawa", the coach said sheepishly.

" _Are you sure?"_ many member, include Miki thought.

"Hey, I´m sorry for last time", said Ichikawa to Karen. "I was too harsh at you at the looker room."

"I´m sorry too, Ichikawa-senpai!" Karen said. "I just disturbed you guys' without permission. I would have been angry too if an outsider barged into someone else business."

"Eh, so Ichikawa can say sorry to", teased Esaka.

"Shut up, Esaka", said Ichikawa and glared at him.

Everyone laughed again. Karen was embarrassed that she caused so much attention, but the members make her feel at ease. She was happy to finally be a part of Akanagaoka football team.

When Karen came home she went to her room. She sat on the floor and opened the black case. There lay her trumpet. She took it up.

"I´m sorry for neglecting you all this time", she said and hug the trumpet carefully. "I´m promise not to run away again. I´m going to move forward with you." Karen kissed it. "Because I really love playing with you."

10


End file.
